


the feeling of being breathless

by Atena



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Childhood, Fluff, M/M, slight angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 09:41:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8885992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atena/pseuds/Atena
Summary: Jumin Han and his mother have moved to a quaint town nearby the closest river to Dongducheon. After getting lost in the woods near his home, he reaches a clearing nearby the home of Jihyun Kim and runs into the other boy himself. Their meeting is short but sweet yet nonetheless enchanting.





	

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jumin Han and his mother have moved to a quaint town nearby the closest river to Dongducheon. After getting lost in the woods near his home, he reaches a clearing nearby Jihyun Kim's house and runs into the other boy himself. Their meeting is short but sweet yet nevertheless enchanting.

the feeling of being weightless

_do not forget, do not forget the heart that feels and speaks_

Behind old man Bon Seon's mansion, there lies a tucked away hamlet - to the north, there is a trickling waterfall and stream, sapphire and forceful. In the center, there is a meadow, starry with blossoms of various hues in the spring, and glistening a deep marigold in the fall.

As hot breaths mingled together, two children faced each other, with wide eyes, obsidian and turquoise alike.

Making the first move, the slightly older boy smiled sweetly and extended a small hand. The raven haired boy, after glancing back and forth between the other child and his hand in contemplation, shook it earnestly.

 

_many colors adorn the prayers of the trees_

Jihyun Kim had always loved the coming autumn, even at the tender age of five. Dressed neatly in sharp black pants and a pin striped white dress shirt with a red shiny bow on top, he looked all the more delicate in his precariousness as he ran through the autumn leaves.

Breathlessly, he halted, skidding in front of a moss covered rock, ancient yet withstanding the blanket of different reds, golds, and oranges. In this gentle twilight, the dim honey horizon and the cedar woods joined in a marriage of colors.

 

_the heart of our true essence_

Fall was a grave time for Jumin Han. The family reunion, instead of bringing souls together, only tore them apart. And even to young Jumin, it was clear to see that his mother's inner spirit slowly decayed alongside his parents' love. Ilhoon was far too rich for Lee Na to leave him, and Lee Na was far too beautiful for Ilhoon to divorce her. Or so, that was what they thought then.

The woman's hand, steadying the child at a gazebo near their new mansion, felt as cold and waxy as a corpse. This was not the mother he knew. Little did he understand that the mansion was far enough away from his father's dalliances in central Dongducheon. Like a set of paints after a horrific wrist injury, Lee Na and her son were cast away. The memory made her tremble and accidentally dig her nails into his skin. Biting his lip, he shivered and tried to not show any emotion.

After what seemed to be an eternity of painful silence, Jumin shook himself free and ran and ran, disappearing in the shadows of the trees until he too stopped in front of the sturdy gneiss beneath his feet.

 

_eyes alone speak to each other on an island with a soul_

"What are you doing here?" both Jihyun and Jumin asked at the same time. The latter raised an already cynical brow whereas the former let out a peal of laughter. It echoed like silver bells, and alongside the crisp, cool air, it laid Jumjn bare, soul and all.

"I... ran away," he spat out.

"Isn't that bad? Don't you think people will miss you?"

"No. My papa doesn't even care and it feels like Mama isn't even there anymore, even when she takes care of me."

A frown spread across his face, and despite being dressed up himself in a small beige trench coat and hiking pants that only served to make him more fragile and doll like, Jumin looked like an adult who carried the weight of the world.

 

_hiding amongst the grass and reverberating - the song of coming autumn_

Releasing his hand, Jihyun reached up and tucked a stray lock of black hair behind the other boy's small ear.

"Well, I care. What's your name?"

"Jumin Han. What's yours?"

"Jihyun Kim. Nice to meetcha!"

"I guess. Why are you here?"

"Because my home is near. But this is my favorite place. I'll go show you why!"

With a dimpled smile, the teal haired boy took Jumin's arm and thrust him in front of a small obstacle course in the forest clearing. A hollowed log of a great old oak tree was a great hideout. Distorted and reverberating, their voices spoke on top of each other. Piles of leaves were abundant. The two raced each other, like a comet trailing after another.

Once though, Jihyun was sprinting too carelessly. The toe of his shoe got caught in the trap of a fallen branch crowned with dead yellow leaves. He was sent flying in the air, bound to fall flat on his face.

Or at least until strong yet small arms reached out to catch him. While the winds beat at them, Jumin still held Jihyun close. They were quiet, listening to each other's heart beats, only stopping once they were sure their rhythms synchronized.

Then, their eyes met again. Jumin swallowed deeply as his heart stood still for a moment before continuing on and then gently released the other boy.

"Thank you," Jihyun said, dusting his clothes off, smiling all the while like he was the fool between the two of them.

"Yeah, sure, no problem." Jumin's voice gave nothing away, but rainy gray eyes lingered at Jihyun's back until they couldn't any longer.

 

_eyes closed, it's the sweet lullabies i remember_

Lilted tones and simple melodies saturated the air with the once locked away contents of Jumin's heart. When the other boy sang or even hummed, small animals went about their daily business without even fearing the two humans. The younger squirrels dove behind the log, stealing glimpses when they thought neither of the children were looking. All the while, Jihyun took out a small, cheap camera and snapped a few pictures.

"I have to go soon, but smile for the camera, please?" he pleaded after sitting Jumin down on a tree stump.

At first it was awkward; everything about it all was awkward. Yet when the sun began to set, it illuminated the children's faces so that they could see each other fully, each own's smile drawing out, slowly yet sweetly, the other's.

After one last snapshot, the boys parted ways, knowing they would see each other again.

Jihyun Kim returned to a lady with long light blue tresses sitting on his house's porch, ran up to her and embraced her. She smiled mysteriously at him, as he felt the slight swell of her midriff.

On the other hand, Jumin's mother was waiting at the gazebo, tears falling from her face. Her son quietly approached before hugging the woman close and letting his own frustrated tears mingle with hers.

However, not all things were particularly sorrowful. A day later, an envelope sent to Jumin arrived. Tearing it open, he found his own likeliness smiling back at him.

When it was time to finally to go to school, the young boy was quite nervous. Yet his piercing gray eyes scanned across the room until they chanced upon a frail looking student with porcelain skin gazing at the window, his desk hugging at the right side of the classroom.

Jumin Han could swear he could recognize that bright smile anywhere, any time. In a daze, he sat at an empty chair behind Jihyun Kim, able to witness the feeling of being breathless. For what was a second was an eternity to him.


End file.
